Waterlore

by Teika Marija Smits

Genres: Short Stories, Horror

108 pages, Paperback

Published November 30, 2023

About the author

Teika Marija Smits is a UK-based freelance editor and the author of the short story collections Umbilical (NewCon Press), which was shortlisted for the 2024 Rubery Book Award, and Waterlore (Black Shuck Books), as well as the poetry pamphlet Russian Doll (Indigo Dreams Publishing). In 2024 she edited the We-inspired speculative fiction anthology The Utopia of Us (Luna Press Publishing) to celebrate the centenary of the first publication of Zamyatin’s We. Most recently, she was the winner of the British Fantasy Society’s Sydney J. Bounds Award for Best Newcomer. She is delighted that ‘Teika’ means fairy tale in Latvian.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this short collection of water-themed stories. There is a flow that matches the subject matter, and even those which are quite slight are evocative with it. My favourite has to be 'Ghost Fish' - the spiralling frustrations of a single mother are well-portrayed and the horror here is the reality rather than the fantastic. 'Golden Dreams' is another strong story, quite subtle in the telling. Overall, a good collection with a couple of pieces that will stay with me for some time.

[Happy Goat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review at Happy Goat Horror:
https://happygoathorror.com/2023/12/1...

A collection of water-themed/based peculiar horror stories, all totally different from each other. Many types of horror explored in this collection, making it a great, fun read with a lot of variation.

[Kevin Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

An utterly enchanting little collection of short stories themed around bodies of water, and those who live around, upon, and within them. Beautifully written, crafted, and driven by perfectly realised characters, each one is a gem that will live in the memory for a long, long time. So immersed in this glorious little book was I, that my only criticism is that at a mere seven stories and 101 pages, it left me high and dry on a barren shore, gasping for more!

[Runalong · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable mini collection of tales with a water based theme from selfies, ghosts to stressed parents a lot to enjoy!

Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...

[Kayleigh Marie Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew there was a reason I didn't want to go in the water!

[Kate Garrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a powerful little book! A micro collection of seven short stories, ranging from the truly creepy ('Ghost Fish'), wistful, eerie, and otherworldly ('Lady Seaweed or Tristesse', 'Golden Dreams', 'Rusalka or Waterlore'), full of adventure and intrigue ('The Pirate and the Selkie'), and strangely soothing and hopeful ('Sea Wasps', 'Screaming Sue').

For full disclosure, I have known the author as a fellow writer and editor for many years. However, while reading this book, I didn't think for one second about who wrote the stories, much less connect them to anyone I knew - so absorbing are the worlds, situations, and characters Smits has created here. If you enjoy watery tales, horror, and speculative fiction, I highly recommend giving this one a try.